Taoyuan police chief sues DPP county councilor

By Rich Chang / Staff reporter

Tue, Feb 25, 2014 - Page 3

A Taoyuan County police officer yesterday filed a lawsuit against a county councilor, accusing him of assault as he led an inspection team to a nightclub.

The incident took place on Thursday night as Pingjhen Police Precinct’s section chief Hsu Chuan-tsao (許傳灶), 39, entered the club.

Police said Taoyuan County Councilor Lo Wen-ching (羅文欽) of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) was drinking with former national advisor Peng Sheng-chang (彭盛昌) and others at a hostess club in the county’s Pingjhen City (平鎮).

After hearing an announcement about the raid, police say Lo, 44, obtained Hsu’s name and officer number and said: “I am making a telephone call to the Taoyuan County Police Station chief Li Wen-ming (黎文明).”

Police said that footage showed Lo holding Hsu’s collar, stripping him of his police badges and grasping his neck, all the while swearing at him.

Peng pushed Lo back to the room and stopped him from continuing to assault the officer, police said, quoting Peng as saying that Lo was very drunk and that he apologized on Lo’s behalf for his behavior.

Hsu yesterday said he filed suits against the city councilor for obstructing an officer, causing grievous bodily harm, and threat and slander.

“I am filing the suit to protect police safety and right to carry out our duty,” he said.

In response to Hsu’s allegation, Lo denied assaulting Hsu, saying he would sue Hsu in return, if he is proven innocent.

The DPP said that the party had launched an internal investigation into the incident.